In many areas the hatches of big honking mayflies known as "drakes" are much anticipated. Some of these mayflies hatch in huge numbers over a wide range in their regions. Others are much more localized and more of a hit or miss thing.

Flie sof rthis swap can be nymphs emergers, duns or spinners-- whatever you have found to be most effective. The large size of the naturals have led to many creative patterns including wiggle-nymphs, and extended bodies-- so let your creative jusices flow.

Both traditional materials or new-fangled stuff like foam and other synthetics are fair game.

Because common names can be confusing and often differ widely for the same critter, I've attempted to include scientific names too here.

Mayflies commonly referred to as "Drakes" are typically at least a size 12 and some much larger

Common Name

Scientific name

East

Midwest

West

(Eastern) Green Drakes (for the dun) and the Coffin Fly (for the spinner)

Ephemera guttulata

X

Western Green Drakes

Drunella grandis

X

Dark Green Drake

Litobrancha recurvata

X

X

Brown Drakes

Ephemera simulans

X

X

X

Gray Drake

Siphlonurus quebecensis

X

X

Gray Drake

Siphlonurus occidentalis

X

Yellow Drake

Ephemera varia

X

X

Green Drake

Hexagenia rigida

X

X

Golden Drake

Anthropotamanthus distinctus

X

Big Slate Drake

Hexagenia atrocaudata

X

X

Other mayflies also sometimes called "drakes" are eligible too

Lesser Green Drake

Drunella flavlinea

X

Slate Drake

Isonychia sp.

X

X

X

Due Date June 1, 2012

Limited to 13 swappers-- tie up 12 flies and get 12 back (1 fly from each of the other swappers)

I'd really like to try this one too... I may be overextending myself, but I really need to get into the dry-fly-tying game... So I'm in. I figure I should tie something to replicate the big mayfly hatches they have in Sweden.

Cool AJ. If you're looking for patterns I think the "Danica"mayfly (Ephemera danica) at about a size 12, is common big mayfly in Sweden (and much of Europe including Great Britain). Although a bit smaller than our eastern green drake, it looks to be quite similar in its nymph, dun, and spinner stages and is in the same mayfly genus (Ephemera).

You can find tons of patterns for it doing the google or come up with your own version